


Steadfast and True

by andabatae



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Sequel Trilogy
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Alternate Universe - Veterinarians, An animal is injured but it will be okay, Background GingerFlower, Ben Solo has a puppy, Blow Jobs, Cats, Cunnilingus, Dog Dad Ben Solo, Dogs, Explicit Sexual Content, F/M, Fluff, Fluff and Smut, Idiots in Love, Minor Angst, Oral Sex, Rey is a Veterinarian, Smut, Vaginal Fingering, Vaginal Sex, Veterinary Clinic, background stormpilot, puppies!
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-13
Updated: 2020-05-10
Packaged: 2021-02-27 19:34:30
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 8,930
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22701049
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/andabatae/pseuds/andabatae
Summary: Veterinarian Rey Niima's life mission is to save hurt or ill animals. When Ben Solo brings his injured puppy into the office, she leaps into action to save him. And when Ben asks if she makes house calls to check on recovering pets, Rey immediately agrees.For the puppy's sake, of course. Not because Ben is the hottest man she's ever seen, and she wouldn't mind checking him out, too...
Relationships: Armitage Hux/Rose Tico, Poe Dameron/Finn, Rey/Ben Solo, Rey/Ben Solo | Kylo Ren
Comments: 162
Kudos: 979
Collections: Solo Love Letters





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

  * For [CaffeinatedJediRey](https://archiveofourown.org/users/CaffeinatedJediRey/gifts).



> Based on this prompt: "Rey and Rose are vets and Rey meets Ben when he stops by."
> 
> I haven't decided on the rating yet, but it'll probably be M or E. We'll see!
> 
> TW: An animal is injured in this chapter. Ben needs a reason to go to the vet, after all! But the animal will be okay, as will every animal in this story.

“There you go!” Rey stroked BeeBee’s head one more time before turning to his owner. “All vaccinated and ready to go home.”

“Poor baby,” Poe Dameron cooed, scooping up the small orange tabby. He planted a kiss on the animal’s head, ignoring his frantic wriggling. “Was that scary? Don’t worry, daddy’s going to take you home and feed you some nice tuna.”

Poe was a regular at the Ajan Kloss Animal Clinic. He couldn’t resist an animal in need, which meant he was gradually accumulating a menagerie in the home he shared with his partner, Finn. He’d found BeeBee on the street, dirty and unfed, and had immediately taken the cat in. Now that BeeBee was clean and starting to settle in to his new home, the time had come for a health checkup, vaccinations, and a microchip.

Rey shook Poe’s hand and gave BeeBee one last scratch before sending them to the the front desk to check out with Kaydel. Then she washed her hands and reorganized her supplies.

“Cute kitty!” The cheerful voice came from behind her.

Rey smiled as she turned to face her fellow vet, Rose. “Right? Once he’s up to a proper weight, he’s going to be gorgeous.”

“Poe sure knows how to pick them.” Rose winked. “You’ve seen that partner of his, right? They’re so hot. Seeing the two of them together is like staring into the sun.”

Rey laughed. “Down, girl. You know they’re one-hundred-percent gay. No guest starring for you.”

Rose sighed. “Oh, well. Someday my prince will come. Hopefully attached to a cute dog.”

Kaydel popped her head in the door, blonde hair swinging. “Walk-in! Puppy got hit by a car.”

“Oh no!” Rey dried her hands and hurried out, grateful she had a break in her schedule so she could see to this newest patient. She hated seeing any animal in pain.

The puppy in question caught her eye immediately. It small and sleek, a black lab with huge paws and floppy ears, and it was whimpering in distress as it lay on a towel on the counter.

“Oh, poor baby!” Rey rushed forward and did a quick inspection. There was an abrasion on the puppy’s left ribs, and its left leg was swollen, but thankfully, no bones were sticking out. “How did this happen?” She looked up at the dog’s owner… and froze.

_Wow._

Her first thought: _Big._

Her second: _Hot._

Her third: _Really mad._

The giant, hot, angry man ran a hand through his luscious black hair. “Some fucking _cunt_ wasn’t looking where they were going.”

The elderly lady who was waiting for Rose to do a checkup on her ferret gasped. “Language!”

“I’ll mind my fucking mouth when I’m not worried sick my fucking dog is going to die,” he snapped back.

“Hey,” Rey said, resting a hand on the man’s brawny forearm and trying not to think about the muscles revealed by his tight black tee. “It’s all right. I’ll take care of your dog. What’s their name?”

“Steadfast.” The man looked tormented as he stared down at the whimpering puppy. “It’s my fucking fault. He slipped his leash and ran into the road, and then that fucking _prick_ hit him with a fucking car—”

“I said I was sorry,” a man snapped from behind him. Rey’s head jerked up at hearing another British accent. A tall, urbane-looking redhead had just entered the clinic, wearing a suit that looked more expensive than Rey’s entire closet. “And I took time out of my day to follow you here and pay for the surgery, so you could perhaps show a hint of gratitude."

The angry man turned on the Brit with bared teeth. “Steadfast is only eight weeks old, and now one of his formative memories is going to be of _pain —_”

“Stop talking, both of you,” Rey ordered loudly. This was her clinic, and she’d be damned if anyone distracted her from an animal in need because of pointless bickering. “You,” she said, pointing to the redhead. “Sit down. You.” She pointed at the angry man. “Come into the back with me and tell me Steadfast’s history while I do an examination.”

The redhead muttered but thankfully sat down in the waiting area. The angry man hunched his shoulders, looking chastened. “Sorry.”

Rey waved it off. “Nothing I haven’t seen before. Our pets are family.” She looked over to where Kaydel was wheeling in a cart to transport Steadfast into the back. “Perfect. Let’s get him transferred onto the cart, and then I can do an exam.”

A few minutes later, she’d done a quick visual exam, then informed the grumpy man—Ben Solo, she’d learned his name was—that she’d need to put Steadfast under general anesthesia for an X-ray and then surgery.

“You’ll have to wait out front, I’m afraid,” Rey said as she watched Ben gently stroke the puppy’s soft head with one massive hand. He truly loved the puppy, and by the way Steadfast was looking up at him with adoration, despite the pain, the feeling was mutual. Rey’s heart squeezed at the sight. Maybe someday she would find the courage to get her own dog.

“All right,” Ben said. His tormented brown eyes met hers. “Thank you, Ms. Niima.”

“It’s Rey,” she said. “Just Rey. And I promise you, Steadfast is going to be just fine.”

He smiled faintly. “Thank you, Rey.”

As Rey began setting up for the surgery, she prayed she could make good on that promise.

\-------

A few hours later, Rey set the final stitch in Steadfast’s leg and breathed a sigh of relief. Thankfully, his ribs were bruised but not broken, but he’d suffered a severe growth plate fracture of the tibia that had required the insertion of pins to secure the bone. She’d apply a cast next, which would need to be worn for three to five weeks.

“Good boy,” she whispered, resting a gloved hand on the dog's side, which was covered by a blue medical sheet. “You’re doing so well.”

Surgeries like this always broke her heart, but they fulfilled her on a fundamental level. In the foster home where she’d grown up, she’d seen far too many living things abused: dogs, cats, children… She hadn’t been able to do anything about it then, but she could now.

Thinking of Steadfast’s huge, grumpy owner cheered her up a bit. Ben Solo was out there right now, worried sick about his puppy, and soon she’d be able to share the good news that Steadfast would recover well. If they could limit his movement for a few weeks—easier said than done with puppies—it was likely he wouldn’t even end up with a limp.

She picked bright yellow for the cast, since Ben would need all the sunshine he could get in the weeks to come. When it set, she signed it with a black Sharpie: _Heal well, Steadfast! Love, Rey._

\-------

When she emerged from the back, Ben Solo shot to his feet, and Rey was struck again by how big and hot and just… _wow_ he was.. “How is he?” he demanded.

Rey smiled. “He’s doing great, Mr. Solo. The surgery went perfectly.”

Ben’s shoulders relaxed, and he blew out a deep breath. “Thank God.” Then he eyed Rey. “Or thank you, rather.”

She laughed. “I’m happy to be a god for a day, Mr. Solo.”

He cleared his throat and shifted from foot to foot. “Ben,” he said. “You can call me Ben.”

“Oh for fuck’s sake.” The low comment came from the redhead, who was lounging in a chair, flipping through a Cat Fancy magazine. “Is this a singles mixer or a vet clinic?”

“Excuse me?” Rey asked as Ben turned on the man with a scowl.

He sighed and shut his magazine. “I’m just saying, since I’m the one about to shell out thousands of dollars for this surgery, I’d appreciate it if you could hurry up a bit.” He checked his watch. “I have important places to be.”

“Now listen here—” Ben started, advancing on the man.

Thankfully, Rose chose that moment to pop out from the back, interrupting the brewing scene. “Ms. Maz?” she said, smiling at the small older woman who was seated across from the redhead in the waiting room. “Chewie’s resting now, but he did really well.”

The redhead’s jaw hung slightly ajar as he stared at Rose, and Rey suppressed the urge to giggle. This happened sometimes—well, a lot—at their clinic, since it was run by two relatively young women. Rose was a pro at handling unwanted romantic attention, though.

The redhead stood up and marched forward with his hand outstretched. “Hello, my name is Armitage Hux. I’ve been looking for a vet for my cat, Millicent…”

Rose shook his hand and smiled. “Well, you’ve found a vet. Is your cat here?”

“Well, no...”

Rose shrugged. “Talk to me again when she is.” Then she turned her attention back to Ms. Maz, effectively dismissing the man.

Rey pressed her lips together, stifling a laugh. Ben met her eyes, and the corner of his mouth turned up. “Not a singles mixer, huh?” he whispered.

Rey felt a little dizzy as she grinned at him. “Let’s leave them to it,” she said, "and talk next steps for Steadfast.”

\-------

Twenty minutes later, Rey watched as Ben hovered over his unconscious dog, murmuring soft endearments. The combination of big, intimidating man and small, vulnerable dog was possibly the cutest thing Rey had ever seen, and she couldn’t imagine how adorable the pair of them would be when Steadfast had recovered. Playing fetch at the dog park, taking long, rambling walks, napping together in the late afternoon sunlight…

Oh, she had it _bad_ for this guy.

Ben turned in time to catch the goofy smile on her face. “What is it?” he asked.

“You’re very cute,” she said honestly. When his eyes widened in shock, Rey realized what she’d said. “You and Steadfast, that is," she hurried to say. "You’re, uh, a cute… combination.”

“Oh.” He looked down at his feet. “Thank you.”

An awkward silence fell, and Rey wondered if she could just sink into the ground and never be seen again.

“Would you...” Ben said before trailing off.

“Yeah?” Rey’s heart thumped a mile a minute as she waited for him to finish that sentence. _Would you go to coffee with me? Would you let me hold you with my ridiculously big hands? Would you let me kiss you with my outrageously beautiful mouth?_

“Um, do you pay house calls? For recovering patients, that is.”

“Oh.” Rey deflated a bit. Right. She was Ben’s vet, and as Armitage Hux had established in the waiting room, this was not a singles’ mixer. “Yes, of course. Kaydel can give you the clinic’s contact information, and you can call or email anytime.”

Ben bit his plush lower lip, and Rey tried not to stare. “Would you send anyone, or just you?”

“I suppose it depends on schedule,” Rey said. “Rose is an excellent veterinarian, so she would do just as good a job as me—”

“No,” Ben said firmly.

Rey blinked at him. “No?”

“I only want you.” His cheeks turned pink. “Uh, for Steadfast, of course. Because you were responsible for his surgery and got to know him a little, I’d prefer if you supervised his care.”

“Okay.” Rey was doing one of those goofy, infatuated smiles again, but she couldn’t stop. Even if she was only Ben Solo’s vet, he wanted her and her alone. She would get to see him again. “In that case,” she said, feeling exceptionally daring as she grabbed a pen and sticky note, “let me give you my personal cell phone.”

She scribbled it down and handed it over, and Ben took the paper with the reverent care of a man holding a precious artifact. “Thank you,” he said. “I really appreciate this.”

“Text or call anytime,” she said. “Even during work hours or late at night. If I don’t answer, leave a message.”

His smile nearly took Rey’s breath away. “Thank you, Rey. I really appreciate this.”

“It’s no trouble! I’m happy to do whatever it takes to get Steadfast better.” Fucking Ben Solo wasn’t strictly in the realm of things that would get Steadfast better, but as the dog’s owner, he could probably use some stress relief, right?

 _Down, girl,_ she told herself sternly. Going to his house was her professional responsibility, nothing more.

“Well, thanks again,” he said, turning back to his poor, injured puppy. “I guess I should get this one home.”

\-------

The text came a few hours later.

> How the fuck do I comfort a high puppy??

Rey giggled. She didn’t need to ask to know who had just texted her.

> Rey: Pet him, soothe him, and know he’s going to be making quite a fuss for a while. The best thing you can do is be there for him, so he knows he’s loved.
> 
> Rey: Also, hey, Ben 😁
> 
> Ben: Oh, sorry, should have said who I was instead of immediately swearing at you.
> 
> Ben: Sorry
> 
> Rey: Don’t worry, I hear worse than that all the time. Hell, I say worse than that all the time. Your puppy is hurt, and you’re worried for him. Swear away.
> 
> Ben: You are a very cool vet
> 
> Rey: Oh yeahhhhh 😎
> 
> Ben: ...maybe a little less cool now
> 
> Rey: Oh hush. Go take care of your puppy, and I’ll bring my cool self over to your place tomorrow evening to check on him.
> 
> Rey: Just shoot me your address
> 
> Ben: Will do.
> 
> Ben: Thanks again, Rey.
> 
> Ben: I really appreciate it.
> 
> Rey: You’re welcome
> 
> Rey: See you tomorrow, Ben
> 
> Ben: See you.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you liked this! I know nothing about veterinary clinics, but hopefully it's accurate-ish, and if not ¯\\_(ツ)_/¯


	2. Chapter 2

Rey took a deep breath before ringing the doorbell.

Ben Solo lived in a nice suburban neighborhood, in a house with a bright red door. His hedges were trimmed with ruthless precision, and his grass was mowed in even lines. Soft white lights lit the footpath leading from his driveway to his front door.

She shifted from foot to foot nervously. It was eight PM—a surgery had gone long—and she hadn’t been able to shower or change before running over here to check on Steadfast. As a result, she was disheveled and sweaty and smelled strongly of astringent cleaning supplies. Not exactly how she wanted to present herself to Ben Solo, Sexy Dog Dad, but the animal’s needs came first.

The door opened, and she caught her breath at the sight of Ben. He was just as big and handsome as she remembered. He was wearing plaid pajama bottoms and another black tee, and her fingers itched to touch the fabric and find out if it was as soft as it looked.

His face creased in a grin. “Rey. You came.”

“I’m so sorry I’m late,” she said in a rush. “I needed to finish setting a bone, and there were complications, and—”

“It’s okay,” he said, stepping aside and ushering her in. “I know you have other patients.”

She toed her shoes off next to the shoe rack in the entry hall, where several pairs of polished black shoes were lined up with military precision. All signs were pointing towards Ben being a bit of a neat freak, which was good news for Steadfast but a little intimidating for Rey. Her ability to be an orderly human lasted only as long as she was in the office; the moment she got home, she settled into comfortable chaos.

“How is the patient?” she asked.

“Pretty miserable,” Ben said. “But getting lots of treats.” He ushered her forward with a hand on her lower back, and Rey’s heart rate picked up at the intimate gesture. That was definitely an “I’m attracted to you” sign, right?

She forgot about the press of Ben’s hand when she saw Steadfast lying listlessly in a massive dog bed in the living room. He still wore the protective cone, and although his tail thumped on the floor at the sight of Rey, he didn’t get up. “Oh, poor baby,” she said, crouching down beside him. She stroked his soft head. “Let’s see how you’re doing.”

She checked around the cast for redness and swelling, relieved to find that everything looked good. While she conducted the exam, Ben answered her questions about the puppy’s feeding and bathroom schedule. “I never thought I’d be supervising another being’s bowel movements this closely,” he said wryly after detailing how he’d carried the puppy out to do his business several times that day.

Rey chuckled. “No plans for kids, then?”

He shrugged. “Maybe, if I could get someone to tolerate me enough to marry me.”

She sat back on her heels and looked up at him. “What do you mean, tolerate? You’re a catch.”

To her delight, his cheeks turned pink. “Oh, uh, thank you. Umm… I guess I’m antisocial?” He grimaced. “And you heard me swearing in the vet’s office. I can get a little intense.”

Rey smiled and returned her attention to Steadfast, who was looking up at her with the sweetest, saddest brown eyes—truly, there was nothing so heart-rending as a puppy in pain. “I think intense can be a good thing,” she said as she played with the dog's velvety soft ears. “Someone you loved was in danger, and you took action. You fought on their behalf. That’s a very attractive trait.”

Little Steadfast was lucky to have a powerful advocate on his side. Rey wished she had had someone like that when she was younger and more vulnerable. Hell, she wished she had someone like that _now._

He didn’t answer right away, and Rey felt hot mortification creep over her. “Sorry, I hope that wasn’t too—”

“No, no.” His throat bobbed as he swallowed. “I'm just not used to people saying nice things about me.”

“Well, that’s a shame.” She scratched the puppy one last time, then stood up. Ben was staring at her intensely, and she fidgeted awkwardly, not sure what to say or do. “Anyway, uh, he looks good.”

Ben blinked as if snapping out of a trance. “Right. Um. Great. Good. I’m glad he’s… good.”

“Yep. Good.” Rey winced internally at her own awkwardness. “So I guess I’ll…” She gestured vaguely in the direction of the door.

“Yes. Right.” Ben preceded her down the hallway, then held the door open. She smiled up at him as she brushed by, and her heart fluttered when he smiled back. He looked like a bashful schoolboy right then, not a devastatingly hot giant who liked to say ‘fuck.’ “So will you come back?” Ben asked when she turned around on the doorstep.

“Yeah,” Rey said, chest filling with warmth. She couldn’t stop smiling, even though her cheeks were hot and her stomach pitched with nervousness. “I can come back tomorrow, if that works?”

Ben nodded emphatically. “It works. It definitely works.”

“Good,” she said. “I’ll see you then.”

“See you then.” Ben waved a little, and Rey grinned as she headed to the car. Ben Solo was adorable, and she was going to see him again tomorrow.

#

> Ben: Fucking hell
> 
> Rey: Hi, Ben 😁
> 
> Ben: How do I stop a wounded puppy from tearing around the house like a maniac?
> 
> Rey: Oof, that’s a tough one.
> 
> Rey: Have you done any obedience training?
> 
> Ben: ...no
> 
> Ben: sorry
> 
> Rey: That wasn’t a judgment, lol
> 
> Rey: Reward-based training works best in my opinion
> 
> Rey: Give him treats when he’s staying still like a good boy
> 
> Rey: And if you cuddle him more, he probably won’t want to run around as much 😉
> 
> Ben: You’re prescribing cuddles?
> 
> Rey: I mean, who doesn’t like cuddles? 😉
> 
> Ben: Noted.
> 
> Ben: Thanks, doc.

“Shit,” Rey muttered to herself. “The second winky face was definitely too far. Best case scenario, Ben would think she was unprofessional. Worst case, he’d think she was a creep. She should probably apologize…

Her phone buzzed.

> Ben: 😉

Rey hugged the phone to her chest. Was Ben Solo flirting with her? Winky faces seemed flirty, but maybe he was just trying to relate to her on her level? It wasn't like she was great at interpreting romantic signals. She'd dated infrequently, and her childhood had left her with some insecurities that were hard to shake. Besides, Ben was just so... everything. Tall, handsome, attentive, passionate... Why would he want someone like Rey?

> Ben: See you tonight.
> 
> Rey: See you tonight.

#

Ben texted her multiple times over the next few days, filling the time between her visits to check on Steadfast. The puppy was improving steadily, and Rey’s cheeks hurt from smiling so much. As they'd grown more comfortable with each other, she'd learned that Ben was thoughtful and freakishly intelligent, with a whimsical side he kept buried deep.

> Ben: If you were an animal, what kind would you be?

Rey was sitting next to Rose behind the front desk, going over end-of-day paperwork. It was Friday evening, and Kaydel had already gone home. She started typing back, but was interrupted by Rose’s laugh.

“You are so ridiculous,” Rose said.

Rey looked up. “What? Am not!”

“Are, too.” Rose raised both eyebrows. “Are you going to pretend you aren’t texting that tall, brooding hunk of a dog owner right now?”

“So what if I am?” Rey asked. “He has questions about taking care of Steadfast.”

“Yeah, I bet.” Before Rey realized what was happening, Rose had snatched her phone out of her hands. The petite veterinarian let out a cackle when she saw the screen. “Oh, yeah, questions about Steadfast, huh? Not flirty banter?”

“Shut up.” Rey reached for her phone, cheeks burning.

“So what animal would you be?” Rose asked, rolling her chair back and holding the phone over her head. “I’m thinking a camel, because they’re so _thirsty.”_

“Oh, please,” Rey said, snatching the phone back at last. “Don’t think I didn’t notice that asshole Hux has brought his cat in four times this week.”

Now it was Rose’s turn to look embarrassed. “Look, Millicent hadn’t had a checkup in a while. I wanted to be… thorough.”

“Oh, you were thorough, all right.” Rey raised her eyebrows. “So thorough, I heard a distinctive thumping noise from the supply closet yesterday.”

It had been an alarming escalation of Rose’s flirtation with the grumpy British redhead. Although Rey had initially despised him for running over Ben’s dog, she'd decided to give Hux the benefit of the doubt after learning that not only did he pay for the surgery, but he also texted Ben once a day to check on Steadfast.

“Oh my God.” Rose buried her face in her hands. “You heard that?”

“Honey, everyone in the office heard it. I had to tell Mr. Pryde the biggest dog I’d ever seen was in the back, wagging his tail and knocking things over.”

Rose groaned. “I was on break!”

Rey guffawed. “Look, I don’t care who you have sex with. I mean, that guy seems like… a weird choice… but hey, do what makes you happy. It just means you don’t get to make fun of me for talking to Ben.”

“Armie isn’t a weird choice!” Rose looked up at her, outraged. “He’s a little prickly at first, sure, but I swear underneath it all he’s this sweet, adorable, neurotic weirdo.”

“Mmm.” Rey finished entering the last data in her spreadsheet. “I’m not sure ‘neurotic weirdo’ sells it for me, but you’ve always had questionable taste.”

Rose made a face at her and chucked a balled up sticky note at Rey’s head. “I changed my mind,” she said. “You’re not a camel. You’re definitely a cow.”

Rey laughed. Her phone buzzed again, and she looked down at it.

> Ben: I think you're a rat terrier.
> 
> Rey: Excuse me, what??
> 
> Ben: Hear me out!
> 
> Ben: They’re smart and sweet. Energetic. Tenacious. Altogether a delight to be around.

Rey’s cheeks were hurting again. Trust this man to turn a questionable comment into possibly the nicest thing someone had ever said about her.

“Oh my God, just go,” Rose said, nudging Rey’s shoulder. “Get out of here and go check on that sexy beast… um, I mean the puppy. Go check on the puppy.”

Rey laughed as she stood up. “All right, all right, I’m going. Just remember—if Hux comes over, I expect every surface to be sanitized by morning.” She left Rose sputtering denials behind her. At the door, she rolled her eyes when she saw Hux’s fancy car parked in the lot. “And use protection!” she called over her shoulder, grinning when Rose flipped her off.

Her steps were light as she walked towards her car; she felt like she could waltz to the moon. In just twenty minutes, she'd see Ben Solo again. And maybe tonight she could finally tell him how she felt about him.

#

Ben flung the door open right after Rey's knock. She yelped and jumped back, startled by the sudden movement.

“Sorry,” he said. He looked totally frazzled. “It’s a disaster in here.”

Ben looked extra delicious today, in a black button-up and dark jeans, but Rey’s horny brain immediately went on hiatus. She hurried into the house. “What happened?” she asked, toeing her shoes off and throwing her jacket on the hall floor before rushing towards the living room.

“Wait, don’t—”  
  
She barely heard Ben, too worried about the puppy. Over the last week, she’d come to care for Steadfast quite a lot, and she couldn’t stand the idea of the dog in pain. But when she skidded into the living room, she found Steadfast standing in the middle of the room, tail wagging, looking mischievous and adorable. Other than the cone and bright yellow cast, he looked the picture of exuberant puppy health.

Around him was a sea of wreckage. Clumps of fluff had been torn out of the sofa, there was a spreading pool of red wine from a bottle that had been tipped over, and the shredded remains of a bouquet of daisies was strewn over the floorboards. There were also chunks of some odd white substance scattered around. Rey knelt beside one and picked it up. She rolled it over in her fingers, then sniffed it. “What is this, wax?”

“Uh, yeah,” Ben said as he picked Steadfast up and carried him over to the dog bed. “I swear, I only left the room for a minute. I thought he was asleep…”

Now that Rey knew what the substance was, she could tell Steadfast had torn apart a pillar candle. It didn’t look like he’d eaten much, though. “Did he swallow any? It’ll be okay if he did, I just want to make sure there aren’t large chunks, since those can cause blockages.”

“No,” Ben said, settling down onto the dog bed with Steadfast in his lap. “I pulled it out of his mouth.” He looked at the puppy despairingly. “Why can’t you just stay still?” he asked plaintively.

Rey chuckled as she started cleaning up the mess. “Because he’s a puppy. It’s good he’s feeling this energetic, but he really should be taking it easy.”

“Wait, you don’t have to do that,” Ben said. He started to rise, but Rey waved him back down.

“Sit there with the puppy. See if you can calm him down.”

Ben grumbled something that sounded like “not how I wanted this to go,” but obeyed her instructions.

As Rey picked up the detritus left from Steadfast’s rampage of destruction, she tried to make sense of the scene. It was clear the objects had originated on a small coffee table—mistake number one of puppy ownership was leaving things within reach of the dog—but why had he been setting out wine, candles, and flowers?

_Oh._

Realization hit her like a brick to the head. Her stomach dropped.

Ben had a date tonight.

 _It’s fine,_ she told herself as she shoved wine-soaked paper towels into the compost bin under the sink. She barely knew him, and for fuck’s sake, _look_ at him. Of course he had a hot date. Rey was just his veterinarian, no matter what she'd managed to convince herself of. “Stupid,” she muttered.

“What was that?” he called from the living room.  
  
“Nothing!” Rey took a moment to breathe, fists clenched tightly at her sides. She’d been stupid to dream, stupid to imagine Ben had requested house calls because he was attracted to her. He was just concerned about his dog, and it was both unprofessional and naive of Rey to try to turn this into something it wasn’t.  
  
She took a deep breath and plastered a bright smile on her face. She would inspect Steadfast, then get out as quickly as possible.

“All set,” she said, marching back into the living room. Steadfast was curled up on his dog bed while Ben stood over him with arms crossed like a disapproving parent. The puppy’s tail thumped when Rey approached.

She knelt beside him, avoiding Ben’s eyes. A quick exam showed no swelling or alarming changes, and Rey was glad the dog hadn’t injured himself while attempting to ruin Ben’s date. Rey despised the mystery woman or man on principle, and a spiteful part of her was glad Ben’s flowers and wine and stupid romantic candles were gone. She gave the dog an extra scratch behind the ear, then stood up.

“What’s the verdict?” Ben asked.

Rey’s face felt stiff as she attempted to maintain her smile. “He’s fine. Next time, keep anything breakable out of reach, though.”

Ben grunted. “Yeah, I learned that lesson quick.” His shoulders drooped. “It’s disappointing, though.”

“I’m sure it is,” Rey said, struggling not to let her jealousy show on her face. “But you’re a smart man; you can improvise.”

The hopeful look on his face was killing her. “You think so?” he asked, taking a step towards her.

Rey turned around and started heading for the door. “Mr. Solo, I think Steadfast has shown enough improvement that I don’t need to do house calls anymore.” She grabbed her coat, unable to meet his eyes. “If anything bad happens or you get concerned, you can of course reach out.”

“Wait, what? Why are you calling me Mr. Solo?” His hand came to rest on her shoulder, and Rey flinched at the touch—so close, yet so far away from what she truly wanted. He immediately released her and backed away with hands up. “Rey, please look at me,” he said.

She shoved her feet into her shoes. “I’ll see you at the next scheduled clinic checkup.”

Ben made a soft, unhappy sound, and Rey finally glanced up at him. He looked… really freaked out. He jammed a hand through his hair, ruffling the black waves into disarray. “I’m sorry, Rey,” he said. “I just thought… fuck.”

She didn’t know what he was on about, but she knew she couldn’t stay there any longer. If she did, she might burst into tears. “I should get going,” she said, reaching for the doorknob.

“Okay.” He sounded dejected; maybe he was still worried about the puppy?

She opened the door, then took one last look at his handsome face. “Steadfast’s going to be fine,” she said softly, giving him a small, genuine smile. “You’re a good dog owner. And for what it’s worth… I hope your date tonight goes well. You… you’re a good man.” She swallowed hard as her eyes blurred with tears. “You deserve happiness.”  
  
His forehead creased. "What—"  
  
Rey turned and left before the first tears could fall, shutting the door behind her.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Adding another chapter cuz ehhhh there had to be the tiniest bit of angst before the smut, right???


	3. Chapter 3

Tears trailed down Rey’s cheeks as she headed to her car. The evening was cool, and the scent of flowers drifted on the breeze. A full moon shone overhead. The perfect evening for romance, she thought bitterly. Too bad it wouldn’t be with her.

The door burst open behind her, and she heard the heavy pound of footsteps. “Rey, wait!”

She stopped but didn’t turn. “What is it, Ben?”

He skidded to a stop beside her, then took up position between her and the car. His eyes darted over her face. “You’re crying,” he said.

She sniffled and wiped a tear away. “It’s nothing.”

“Rey, look. I—I need to make sure of something.” His throat bobbed as he swallowed. “Maybe I’m just reaching, and you hate me, but… what did you mean, you hoped my date went well?”

“It was obvious you were preparing for one,” she said, trying to keep the bitterness out of her voice. “The wine, the flowers, the candles… I didn’t want to intrude.” She shook her head. “And I don’t hate you,” she said softly. “Not at all.”

To her surprise, a look of hope bloomed over his face. “You thought I was going on a date with another woman?”

“Well, yeah,” Rey said, gesturing awkwardly back towards the house. “It looked that way.”

“No, Rey.” He smiled, revealing those cute snaggled teeth. “I was hoping to have a date with you.”

She gaped at him as her brain struggled to process this sudden shift in perspective. He’d set up a date… for her?

His smile faltered. “Unless you aren’t interested…”

“No!” Rey exclaimed, so loudly he jumped. “I’m interested. Very interested.” Her cheeks flushed as she realized how rude she must have looked, storming out of there with no explanation. “I’m sorry. I got jealous and upset.”

He reached out and grabbed her hands, his big fingers swallowing hers up. “You don’t have to be sorry. I can see why you’d be mad, after all the flirting we’ve been doing.”

“It was flirting, right?” Rey asked. “I thought I was going nuts for a second.”

He stepped closer. “You’re not going nuts.” His voice lowered to a husky murmur. “I’ve been infatuated with you since the moment I saw you.”

“That seems unlikely,” Rey said dryly, “since you were storming around and swearing about your poor puppy.”

“I can focus on two things at once, you know.” His lips quirked. “The hot veterinarian was definitely one of them.”

“And the sexy dog dad was definitely one of mine.” She squeezed his fingers, relishing how large and warm his hands felt. She bit her lip, torn between popping up on her toes and kissing him right now or dragging him straight to bed. “So what now?”

“Now,” he said, smiling at her, “we have our date.”

#

Ten minutes later, they sat on Ben’s sofa, sipping wine from a newly opened bottle that he had, wisely, left on the counter this time. Ben pulled up a video of a burning candle on his iPhone and propped it up next to the handful of bedraggled daisies that had survived Steadfast’s attack. The puppy himself lay at their feet, blinking up at them with liquid brown eyes, tail thumping erratically. It was better than when he’d tried to zoom around the room upon Rey’s return, but Rey was bracing herself for the next outburst of bad puppy behavior.

“So what do you think?” Ben asked, setting his half-full wine glass on the coffee table with a clink. “Did Steadfast ruin the romance?”

“Not even a little bit.” Rey smiled at the flowers and the phone. “This is maybe the most romantic date I’ve ever been on.”

“Well, that’s depressing.”

She shrugged. “I’m too busy to date, for the most part. Men don’t like when someone has to rush off in the middle of the night for a veterinary emergency, and the ‘owning my own business’ thing was intimidating for most of them.”

Ben snorted. “Cowards. Who doesn’t want to date a badass, powerful woman?”

Rey’s cheeks heated. “I don’t know about powerful…”

“Well, you’ve got me wrapped around your little finger,” he said, grabbing her hand and toying with it. “And I’m notoriously a grumpy asshole.”

Rey scoffed. “Lies. Anyone can see you’re a big softie.”

He rolled his eyes. “Tell that to everyone at my company.” They hadn’t talked about his work much, but Rey knew he worked from home doing software development, which was how he was able to take on the responsibility of puppy care. “My colleagues keep making fun of my resting bitch face.”

“I’ll fight them,” Rey said. “Just tell me who they are, and I’ll make them regret it.”

He grinned. “See? Definitely powerful.”

She scooted closer and laid her head on his shoulder. They still hadn’t kissed, and that small contact sent her heart racing. “Thank you,” she said softly. “For being nice, and for wining and dining me. Or wining me, at least.” She laughed. “I don’t want to imagine what Steadfast would have done if you’d tried to dine me.”

“Well,” Ben said, “is this the right time to tell you that I was going to dine you, but I burned the chicken?”

“You tried to feed me?” Rey perked up. “That’s so sweet. You have no idea how much I love food.”

“Since you have a habit of texting me what you’re eating for lunch, I have an inkling.” His lips quirked. “So now I’ll tell you something else. There’s a pizza on the way.”

Rey squealed with excitement. Without thinking about it, she clambered onto his lap, settling her knees on either side of his hips and lacing her fingers together behind his neck. “That,” she said, looking into his warm brown eyes, “is the sweetest thing I’ve ever heard.”

Then she leaned in and kissed him at last.

Ben made a soft sound at the contact. His hands settled on her back, pressing her closer as his lips parted to stroke at hers. The brief brush of his tongue convinced Rey to open for him, and soon they were kissing in earnest, mouths moving hungrily over each other.

Rey felt a familiar throb building between her legs. She shifted in his lap, sighing when she rubbed over him. He was already hard. Ben’s hands dropped to her ass—he might be a secret softie, but she was learning he didn’t hesitate when it came to seizing what he wanted—and his fingers flexed, helping set a rhythm. Rey ground over his lap, growing more aggressive with each kiss. Soon they were panting into each other’s mouths.

Steadfast made an inquisitive whimper, then launched to his feet. The patter of claws over hardwood preceded the ringing of the doorbell, and the sudden noise broke Ben and Rey out of their reverie.

“Steadfast, damn it,” Ben panted. “Stop running!”

Rey hopped off his lap. “Yeah, but it’s  _ pizza.  _ Steadfast understands how exciting that is.” She headed to the door, giggling when Ben caught up and grabbed her by the hips, pulling her back into his arms for a long kiss.

The bell rang again. “Fine,” Ben grumbled as he released her. “Let’s get that pizza.”

#

“It’s official,” Rey said, sitting back against the couch cushions. “This is the best date ever.” Her belly was pleasantly full, but not too full, since she’d abstained from that last piece in the hopes of remaining acrobatic enough for hypothetical sex. Given how much of a gentleman Ben had been, ass-grabbing during their kisses aside, she wasn’t sure if he wanted to take it that far, but Rey wanted to be ready if he did.

In fact, maybe she should make that clear. Her tongue loosened by the wine, she shifted on the couch to face him, tucking her legs up under her. “So,” she said. “Just to be clear, I really like you, and I’d like to have sex with you either tonight or at a point sometime in the future. Whenever you’re comfortable with it.”

Ben nearly choked on his piece of pizza. He set it down, coughing a few times. “Uh, wow.”

Insecurity crept in. “Sorry. Was that too forward? That was totally too forward. Shit, I’m sorry—”

“No, no!” He made frantic movements with his hands. “Not too forward.” He was grinning again, and Rey marveled that anyone could ever consider this man a grumpy asshole. “I would like that very much, to be clear. Tonight, if you like. Or later. Whatever works for you.”

“Good.” Rey bit her lip, eyeing his torso. His biceps strained against the sleeves of his button-up. She wanted to nibble on them. “In that case… why don’t you finish your pizza, and let’s relocate to somewhere more comfortable?”

“Fuck the pizza,” he said vehemently, surging to his feet. He looked about ready to carry her off like a caveman, but then his attention was drawn to Steadfast, who was thumping his tail against the ground. “Let me do something with this hooligan first.” Rey watched with amusement as Ben tried to corral the puppy into his crate. “I’ve been working on crate training,” he said over his shoulder, “but he’s extra excited because you’re here.” He winked. “Not that I blame him.”

Rey laughed and stood up, stretching. She took the pizza, glasses, and phone to the kitchen; Steadfast shouldn’t be able to magic his way out of a crate, but one could never be too careful. When she turned around, she found Ben standing right there. He crowded her into the counter, hands braced on either side of her hips. His eyes tracked over her face hungrily. “So,” he said in a voice that rubbed over her like velvet. “It’s just us now.”

Rey wetted her lips.”Yes.”

He leaned in, bringing their bodies together, and Rey gasped when their hips came flush and the hard ridge of his erection nudged her belly. The fact she could feel how big it was even through his slightly loose jeans was… yeah.

His eyes grew heavy-lidded. “Want to take this to the bedroom?” he asked.

Rey nodded. “Yes, please.”

Without another word, Ben grabbed her ass and hoisted her into his arms. She laughed in surprise, then locked her ankles behind his back as he carried her out of the kitchen. She kissed him, and he kissed her back, mouth working hungrily over hers. Then he broke away. “None of that right now,” he said, focusing over her shoulder on the path ahead. “I refuse to trip and accidentally throw you on the ground.”

“I wouldn’t mind being thrown on the ground,” Rey purred in his ear. “So long as you land on top of me.”

He groaned and hitched her higher in his arms, his hands kneading her ass. “You’re too much.”

They reached his darkened bedroom. Ben tossed her on the bed, but rather than follow her down, he switched on a bedside lamp. “I want to see everything,” he said, staring at her. “Need to know it’s real.”

The urgency in his voice made her shiver. Ben Solo might be a sweetheart, but he was definitely intense. His eyes roved over her, and when he licked his lips, Rey felt like her serviceable blue scrubs might as well have been lingerie.

“Sorry I didn’t change,” she said breathlessly. “I washed up a bit, but I came straight from work.”

He started unbuttoning his shirt. “Don’t apologize. The scrubs are sexy as fuck.”

The shirt came off, revealing a chiseled torso. Rey gaped at him. “Holy shit.” She’d seen the press of his biceps against his shirt, and she knew exactly how broad his shoulders were, but she hadn’t expected  _ this.  _ “Jesus Christ, I’ve never seen a six-pack in person.”

“Yeah?” He curled his shoulders and flexed, making his abs stand out. “Like what you see?”

It was such a man move—preening like a peacock when someone commented on his muscles—but Rey was happy to give him whatever validation he wanted, so long as she got to touch that gorgeous body. “I sure do,” she said, holding her arms out. “But my vision isn’t the best. I think I need to examine you more closely.”

He snorted and started working on his belt. “Mind if I get this off first?”

Rey stared at him greedily. “Yes, please.”

He shucked off his jeans, leaving him in only a pair of black boxer-briefs. They were tented with his erection, and Rey couldn’t help squirming in delight at what was in store for her.

He crawled onto the bed and settled with his knees on either side of her hips. He tugged her scrub top off over her head, then her undershirt, followed by her soft bralette. Rey gasped as Ben covered her breasts with two massive hands. She’d known he was big, but now, with their bodies mostly unclothed and his fingers squeezing her breasts, she realized exactly how much larger than her he was.

“Gorgeous,” he breathed. He plucked at her straining nipples, and Rey whimpered at the bolt of pleasure that shot down between her legs. Then Ben’s mouth was on her breast, hot and wet.

With her legs sandwiched by his, she couldn’t rock her hips against him properly, but she tried. The pulsating suction of his lips around her nipple was driving her insane. “Please,” she gasped. “I need more.”

He shifted down her body, then hooked his fingers into the waistband of her scrub bottoms. He sent her a smoldering look from under his lashes. “Yeah?”

Rey nodded eagerly. He tugged them down her legs, taking her serviceable cotton panties with them. He threw them over his shoulder, then stripped off her socks and tossed them aside, too. Rey felt a little self-conscious being so exposed in front of him, but when she dropped a hand to cover herself, he gripped her wrist and pinned it next to her.

“No,” he said, gaze raking over her. “Let me look.”

She fidgeted under his appraisal, all too aware of her small tits, her unkempt pubic hair, and the wet slick gathering between her legs. Ben, though, stared at her like she was a goddess. He licked his lips, then moved even further down the bed and slung her legs over his shoulders.

“Oh, shit,” Rey said as he licked her, spreading her lower lips with his tongue. She gripped the pillow, ready to hang on for dear life. No man she’d ever been with had gone down so quickly or eagerly. Ben didn’t seem to mind that her trim job was haphazard; he dove in enthusiastically. He licked and sucked, caressing her clit before mauling it with his plump lips and clever tongue, and Rey went wild. Her hips bucked, and Ben shifted to pin her down with a heavy forearm over her abdomen.

Rey had never gotten off from oral before. The tentative way men had licked her had always felt weirdly… polite? Definitely too gentle for what she needed. But Ben ate her out like it was his mission in life to make her orgasm, and her body was responding. As heat gathered between her legs, her heels kicked against the bed, and she grabbed the pillow and dragged it over her face, burying her cries in the soft fabric.

His fingers sank inside her, then crooked and dragged down her sensitive inner wall, and Rey lost it. She orgasmed with muffled shouts, her face screwed up as her body pulsed uncontrollably around his fingers.

He kept licking, and soon it was too much. Rey pushed his head away with a shaking hand. “Holy shit,” she breathed.

He kissed her inner thigh, then grinned at her. “Yeah?”

He looks so pleased with himself that Rey couldn’t help laughing. “You look like the cat that got the cream,” she said.

“Well, technically,” he said, “I did.” He licked her again, making Rey giggle and squirm.

“My turn,” she said, finally managing to wriggle away from him. She pressed him to his back, then slipped her fingers under the waistband of his boxer-briefs. He lifted his hips as she tugged them down, and she gasped when his cock sprang out. “Wow,” she said. “Big.” The sight of that thick, flushed length had apparently reduced her to caveman declarations, but the last thing Rey wanted to do with her mouth was talk.

She dove down and sucked the tip of him into her mouth. He grunted and rested one massive palm on the back of her head, gently stroking her hair. Rey swirled her tongue around his tip, savoring the salty taste of his precum, then opened her mouth wider and sank down. His cock was thick, and it stretched her lips almost to the point of discomfort, but she kept going, relaxing as she sucked in more and more of him.

“Fuck,” he swore, fingers clenching in her hair. He didn’t tug her down onto him, thankfully—she was testing the limits of her gag reflex as it was—but the way he alternated caresses with sharp tugs on her hair was arousing. It was like he was trying to be gentle, but kept being overwhelmed by the pleasure she was giving him.

Rey cupped his balls, playing with the soft weight of them. When he groaned, she pulled off his dick with one hard suck, then dipped down to lick his balls one by one.

“Jesus!” He jackknifed up, then tugged her hair hard enough to stop her from exploring him further. He was panting and flushed, eyes wide.

Rey grinned, then deliberately licked her lips. “Tastes good,” she purred. “I think next time I want you to come in my mouth.”

He groaned and tipped his head back. “You’re going to kill me if you say things like that.”

Rey crawled over him, pressing him back to the bed. She kissed a line up his torso, savoring every inch of pale skin. “It would be a shame if I killed you,” she murmured against his neck. “There’s still so much I want to do with you.”

“Rey,” Ben said seriously, cupping her cheek to make her look at him, “if you aren’t sitting on my dick in the next thirty seconds, I will absolutely, one-hundred percent die.”

She giggled, then reached over for the nightstand, hoping she’d find condoms inside, Luckily, there were a few foil packets in the drawer. She grabbed one and opened it, then smoothed the condom over his dick. She straddled him, holding his cock upright so she could rub her clit over it.

“Stop teasing,” he said.

Rey winked. “I wouldn’t dream of it.” Just to be obstinate, she rubbed over him a few more times before fitting him to her entrance. She sank down slowly, sighing at the delicious stretch. It had been a long time since she’d been with someone, and she’d never been with anyone like Ben. He filled her up, an intrusion so substantial, she felt fundamentally changed. There was only life before Ben’s dick and life after Ben’s dick.

“Good?” he rasped when she was fully seated. He gripped her hips, fingers digging into her skin.

Rey shifted, then lifted off a few inches and sank back down. She groaned at the exquisite drag. “Perfect,” she said.

She set a slow, steady rhythm, thighs flexing as she rode him. Soon they were fucking in earnest—long, wet strokes as she took his entire length into her over and over again. He whispered praise, fragments of sentences about how she was beautiful, perfect, felt so good…

He licked his thumb, then pressed it to her clit and started to rub. Rey moaned and grabbed the headboard, needing more leverage. She moved faster, and as he thrust up under her, her rhythm grew rough and unsteady. “Ben,” she gasped as her legs trembled.

He clutched her hip tighter and pressed her clit more firmly as he helped work her over his cock. He slammed up into her, nearly lifting her off the bed with every stroke. Rey pinched one of her nipples, and that jolt of pleasure-pain was what finally tipped her over the edge. She orgasmed hard, body quaking as heat unfurled in her belly and her pussy clenched around him again and again.

Her moans were met by his grunts as he fucked her harder. Then he, too, was groaning and gasping for breath as he twitched under her. His face twisted up as the orgasm blew through him, and she stared down at him in hazy bliss, feeling like the luckiest woman in the world to get to see him like this.

Afterwards, once she’d peed and he’d disposed of the condom, they cuddled. Ben curled around her, his arm wrapped around her waist like he never wanted to let go. His chest was warm and solid at her back, and Rey sighed as she melted into him.

“You make me feel safe,” she murmured.

He kissed her head. “You make me feel… everything.”

In the distance, they heard a bereft howl. Ben sighed. “Steadfast. I guess I should let him out soon.”

“You know he’s going to awkwardly sniff our bits, right?” Rey laughed. “Dogs have no sense of boundaries when it comes to people having sex.”

Ben groaned. “Well, I guess it’s the least I can do. Since he played matchmaker and all.”

Hours later, Rey lay drowsy and content in Ben’s bed. On one side of her, Ben snored softly, an arm thrown over her. On the other was Steadfast, who had taken to their new sleeping arrangements extremely well. He huffed in his sleep, and as his paws twitched, Rey wondered what he was dreaming about.  


She knew what she’d be dreaming about tonight. Ben and a sweet black puppy and the feeling of having found a family at last.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you liked this bit of fluff and smut! If you did, please let me know. Much love to all of you!


End file.
